WICOMICO CO., MD - Wicomico County Executive Julie Giordano has vetoed a controversial bill that would have affected dog kennel owners across the county.
Legislative Bill 2025-01 mandated kennels be at least 1,000 feet from the nearest residence, with a three-year grace period for existing kennels to meet compliance.
“This legislation, while well-intended, places an unrealistic and unfair burden on our county’s kennel owners,” Executive Giordano said in a statement Monday. “If enforced, it would force long-standing businesses into noncompliance, potentially shutting them down or requiring costly and impractical relocations. That is not the kind of policy we should be implementing in Wicomico County.”
According to Giordano, no existing kennels in Wicomico County would have met the new requirements.The County Executive asked the Council to reconsider the proposed legislation, calling on them to work with planning and zoning to develop a new plan.
On Friday, February 14, the Wicomico County Council announced they would be revisiting the bill to possibly grandfather existing kennels in Wicomico and exempt them from the new spacing requirements. The next Council meeting is slated for Tuesday, February 18, during which the Council is expected to discuss the kennel ordinance.